A lot can change between now and the start of the draft on April 23. For one, players from Indiana and Miami have until January 23 to declare for the draft. There are still predraft events, the combine and pro days over the next three months. We'll also learn more about lingering injury situations for a handful of top prospects.
Curt Cignetti knows winning. No matter where he finds himself, whether it's James Madison or with the Division II IUP Crimson Hawks, success follows him. Since getting the opportunity to lead a program, Cignetti has never had a losing season. When Indiana hired him in November 2023, the Hoosiers were the program with the most all-time losses in college football history, and ended the season with a 3-9 record under Tom Allen.
Each week, I'll break down the biggest storylines shaping the Heisman race, the shifting playoff picture and where I see betting value before the market adjusts. Futures are tricky because they are equal parts projection and timing, where reading the momentum is as important as reading the numbers. Sometimes the best move is holding chalk. Sometimes it's finding the overlooked value buried under an overreaction. Either way, the goal is the same: to stay one step ahead of the market before it catches up.
The Big Ten conference led the way with seven player selections, two more than the Southeastern Conference. Four total players from the Independent conference were selected.
